Water Sports Injuries & Swimmer's Shoulder Treatment

Regions boasting some of the world's most exceptional wind and sea routes, like Marmaris, Akyaka, and Hisarönü, are a paradise for water sports enthusiasts during the summer months. However; suddenly pushing a body that has remained inactive all winter to swim for long periods, windsurf/kitesurf, or do unprepared scuba diving can lead to severe muscle and joint injuries that can turn your holiday into a nightmare. At the top of the sports-related cases that visit our clinic most frequently during the summer months is the "Swimmer's Shoulder" syndrome.

What is Swimmer's Shoulder (Shoulder Impingement Syndrome)?

Whether you swim freestyle or hoist sails; while stroking or resisting the wind, your shoulder joint constantly performs a repetitive, limit-pushing rotation movement. Due to muscle exhaustion (overuse) or biomechanical errors made while stroking, the soft tissues and tendons (Rotator Cuff) just below the collarbone (acromion) that form the shoulder roof get compressed and crushed between the bones. Medically, this is called Impingement Syndrome.

The characteristic symptoms of a swimmer's shoulder are:

A sharp, stinging sensation on the front/side of the shoulder when you raise your arm above head level or reach behind you.
Throbbing pain that increases when lying on the shoulder at night.
Sudden weakness, a feeling of the arm "giving out," and restricted movement while pulling water (during a stroke).

What Are Other Common Injuries in Water Sports?

Water sports injuries are not limited to the shoulder. Those windsurfing or kitesurfing in the windy waters of Marmaris often experience very severe lower back stiffness (spasms) and slipped discs as a result of sudden shock loads on the lower back. For water skiers or wakeboarders, sudden water resistance causes complaints of cruciate ligament injuries in the knee, meniscus strains, and severe calf cramps, creating situations that require emergency intervention.

What Kind of Definitive Path Do We Follow in Treatment?

For athletes, time is everything. In our clinic, under the "Return to Play" protocol, we apply a triple combined treatment approach: First, to reduce edema and inflammation in the torn or crushed area, we apply lymphatic techniques and Kinesio Taping (Pain tape). In the second stage, we manipulate the joint with Manual Therapy techniques to open the impinged shoulder or knee tendons. Finally, to break down the protective wall around the muscle and instantly resolve stubborn muscle spasms, we reset the tissue using the Dry Needling method.

Making the Shoulder Stronger Than Before

Returning to sports immediately after the pain subsides gives you an 80% chance of re-experiencing the same injury. Therefore, at the end of our treatment process; we completely eliminate fascial (connective tissue) tensions in the shoulder area with manual deep tissue mobilizations, and then we restore the weakened tendons to their former strength with special clinical pilates-based exercises (using resistance bands) that will increase shoulder stabilization.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

When can I return to the water after an injury?

This period varies depending on whether the damage is just an edema or a grade 2 muscle/tendon tear. When we resolve the mechanical compression with manual therapy, patients can generally start pain-free swimming or sports in a controlled manner within 1 week.

Don't Let Pain Interrupt Your Holiday

For shoulder impingements, muscle tears, knee sprains, or lower back spasms experienced during water sports in the bays of Marmaris; you can make an appointment immediately via our WhatsApp line to benefit from our clinic or our VIP mobile physiotherapy service that you can call to your hotel/yacht.